1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to fluid filters, and more particularly, to a filter assembly having magnetic filtration capabilities.
2. Discussion
Although magnetic filters and their benefits are well known in the art, magnetic filters have not received wide-scale commercial acceptance due to one or more disadvantages which are usually found with the prior art designs. Prior art magnetic filters are relatively costly to manufacture when compared to standard filters due primarily to the difficulty in handling and installing the magnets. Additionally, most prior art magnetic filters are less than satisfactory in that their magnets are located downstream from the filter media, thereby eliminating many of the advantages of the magnetic filtration. Thus there remains a need in the art for an effective yet commercially feasible magnetic filter.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fluid filter having magnetic filtering capabilities which is commercially feasible to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a filter assembly with a fluid flow path which subjects the flow of contaminated fluid to a magnetic field prior to encountering a filter media.
The present invention is directed to a filter that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior known devices. The present invention provides a magnetic filter when a securing means is combined with magnetic particles and applied to one or more of the filter components. The securing means can be used in either a structural fashion, securing the filter media to the filter media support for example, or in a nonstructural fashion, as a magnetic film applied to the exposed surface of either the filter housing or the filter media support.
The magnetic properties of the securing means create a magnetic field which envelops a portion of the filter and the surrounding flow of fluid. Preferably, the securing means is applied to an area of the filter that will expose the contaminated fluid to the magnetic field before the contaminated fluid reaches the filter media. In so doing, ferrous particles contained within the contaminated fluid are drawn to and captured by the magnetic field, effectively removing them from the contaminated fluid and thereby preventing these particles from plugging, tearing or otherwise compromising the filtering ability of the filter media.
When the filter is no longer usable and requires replacement, the filter can simply be discarded. Since the replacement filter would already have magnetic properties, proper filtration could be ensured without the need to remove, clean and/or replace magnets.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.